When Angels Fall
by Innortal
Summary: Heroes hold hope, but even they can die. When the Angel of Nerima dies, who will know? What of his story? Can Usagi find peace by giving the NWC theirs? When Angels Fall, even the children of Ranma and Usagi must cry.
1. Prologue

**When Angels Fall**

**Prologue**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

* * *

As Sailor Uranus hit the street once again, she concluded one simple fact: that even a magical sailor fuku didn't prevent hitting concrete at speeds in excess of 70 kph from really, really hurting.

The battle was not going well for the Sailor Suited Defenders of Love and Justice. Exactly one week after the disappearance of their leader: Sailor Moon: a.k.a. Usagi Tsukino, a new enemy had appeared. They were calling themselves the Dim Empire.

So far, they were not fighting as old enemies had. The leader was calling himself King Dim, his seven generals beside him, as his forces began to overwhelm the Senshi.

His goal appeared simple. Since transcending to Sailor Cosmos, he decided that only such a powerful figure as Sailor Moon would be his queen in the empire he was forging. As such, he came to Earth to collect his bride.

Naturally, the Senshi would not allow such a thing, even if said desired female was currently missing.

Also naturally, the enemy that Sailor Pluto had once again missed with her all seeing Gates of Time was quickly kicking the Senshi's fuku-clad butts.

"I fail to see why you persist in fighting what is destiny? Simply hand my new queen to me, and I shall spare you," said King Dim, his generals surrounding him on all sides to prevent a stray attack from hitting their lord.

Sailor Saturn was forcing herself to stand, as the horde of warriors had stopped their assault, as their king seemed to gloat. As she leaned heavily on her pole arm, she tried to stand proud. "Even if we knew where she was, what makes you think she'd ever consent to what you demand?"

King Dim sighed. "If she values your lives and those on this miserable rock, she would see the great benefits of being my wife." He looked towards the Senshi. "Perhaps killing some of her warriors will suffice in bringing my wayward bride out. Kill the blond ones."

His warriors advanced one step, stopping, seeming to freeze.

King Dim grew angry. "What are you waiting for? KILL THEM!"

Unfortunately for him, his horde of evil warriors dropped to the ground, often not with their limbs and heads attached.

As he and his generals gasped, five figures faded into view, standing between them and the fallen horde, each wearing a brown cloak that covered their faces as well as their bodies. "Gee," said the tallest one who stood in the middle, "if those were the best cannon fodder you had, then you're really fucked."

The generals drew their weapons, stopping only because their king raised his hand, preventing them from charging the challengers. "Who dares stand against me?"

The middle figure straightened his stance. "We are the Lunar Guard. And as for Sailor Moon, she's..." He bowed, allowing a new walking figure to slowly fade into view.

"S-s-s-s-sailor Moon," gasped Sailor Mars.

While the rest had entered their Super forms, Sailor Moon as currently in her normal form, much to the fear of the Senshi, Tuxedo Mask, and Chibi-Moon.

"Ah," said King Dim with as much confidence as he could fill his voice with. "My Queen has arrived."

Sailor Moon shook her head, standing now between the Lunar Guard, who had parted for her to stand between them. "Why would I waste my time with one such as you?" she asked, using a tone that none of the Senshi could associate with either of the forms they knew their leader to take.

King Dim growled. "You would dare send this world to oblivion by refusing me?"

She raised her gaze, her eyes no longer conveying hope and love, but ice cold anger. "And you believe that you will be leaving this battle alive? No, you shall all die here today; your guards by the hands of my guard, and you by my own hands."

Several of the Senshi paled, wondering what had happened to their leader.

King Dim laughed, until Sailor Moon nodded her head. Before he knew it, his generals all dropped to the ground, shortly after the Lunar Guard blurred. As he stared at the now dead corpses of his trusted fighters, he paled, trying to back away.

Unfortunately, Sailor Moon was quicker, grabbing him by his throat and hoisting him into the air. "If you are trying to teleport away, you'll find I am blocking that. You see, I'm not going to take the chance that you'll come back and try this again. After all, I have over six billion people to protect from you."

Dim tried to speak, to beg for his life, to beg for the time to prepare to take her again.

Sailor Moon didn't give him the opportunity. She pulled back one hand, and thrust it through King Dim's chest. "Goodbye," she said, "and may your next life have be more towards the side of good. SOUL SHOCKER REVISED: SOUL EXPLOSION!" As she said it, a ring of light travelled up her arm into the part embedded through the enemy's chest. Once inside him, his body began to glow, before it exploded.

Thus, the Dim Empire was no more; its ruler now spread out across the Juuban street.

As the Senshi tried to wrap their minds around what Sailor Moon had just done—after all, she had offered no poses, no speeches, and no second chances—none were able to find a voice to call out to their leader and future Queen, as once again, she and the Lunar Guard faded from view.

"What the hell was that?" asked Sailor Neptune, finding it hard to remain composed.

Sailor Mercury could only shake her head. "I don't know, but the Mercury computer confirmed it was Sailor Moon. She was just... The Mercury Computer registered power at 3000x what she was listed as when she achieved the level of Sailor Cosmos." She left it unsaid that the computer also determined that she had equal levels of both positive and negative energy; each identified as belonging to the Ginzuishou and the Jakokusuishou. _How did Sailor Moon get the Black Light Gem?_

* * *

"Can I help you?" Kasumi came to the door, and seeing a young woman with hair done in twin tails, wondered if perhaps a new fiancée had come calling. After all, it had only been three weeks since the last one , and things had been so boring lately.

The woman bowed. "Hello, my name is Usagi Tsukino, and I was wondering if perhaps Nodoka Saotome and Nabiki Tendo were currently in? I need to speak with them both about urgent business."

Kasumi stared for a second; usually the new fiancées weren't this...formal. "Oh yes, we just sat down for lunch. Unfortunately, neither my Father nor Uncle Saotome is here at the moment."

Usagi bowed. "Thank you, I hate to intrude, but I do not need to see those two. May I come in?"

Kasumi nodded, already liking this woman.

* * *

On a roof across from the porch, five figures stood.

"I hate this," said a female voice as she lowered her hood, revealing red hair and blue eyes, her hair done in a pigtail. "We should be in there with her."

"I know, Ranko," said the tallest, as he lowered his hood, revealing short cut blond hair with blue eyes. "But Mother wished to conclude these arrangements on her own, and you know how much she feels the need to do this."

Ranko nodded. "I know, Raiden, but she shouldn't have to face them on her own. Dad told us about these people. We should be there protecting her!"

A second woman lowered her hood, known as Ryoko; her hair slightly pink, her eyes blue. "And what would we accomplish? Mother has been grieving harder than any of us these last few days. This is a chapter she needs to finish. We will get to deal with them eventually, but as Father's mate, she must do this, to help heal her own scars."

A male figured lowered his hood, revealing blue eyes and black hair, known as Tenma. "Ranko, we know how...edgy...you are, we all are."

"Damn straight," said the final figure, lowering his hood to reveal strawberry blond hair and blue eyes, cut short as well, known as Keitaro.

Ranko snorted. "I say we should find those bastards now and kill them, before they can hurt anymore people."

Raiden nodded. "Then? We need to make it look in all possible ways that their deaths were unavoidable...but most importantly, that they were all not our fault." He went over to his sister, placing his hand on her shoulder. "We all want to kill those bastards for what they did. But...for now, we'll let Mother dictate our actions. For now, she needs us, so revenge can wait...for a few days."

That did little to placate Ranko, who began pacing. She wanted revenge, but didn't want to chance the one parent she had left dying as well.

Thus, with a heavy and damaged heart, she stayed, watching the view of the dining area from their perch, wondering if the woman whom they could call Grandmother would be more upset that her son was dead, or that she had only five grandchildren.

* * *

"Thank you for the tea, Ms. Tendo," said Usagi, sitting across from Nodoka and Nabiki, Akane to her left.

"My pleasure," said Kasumi, sitting across from Akane.

"So," began Nabiki, "what can we do for you."

Usagi reached into her jacket, pulling out a large red gem. "This ruby should be about ¥56.8 million. This should cover any debts owed to this family by Ranma Saotome, as well as cover the rental fee for the dojo this Saturday."

Nabiki took the gem, studying it, and finding no flaws in it. While not usually how she was paid, with all the magical princes and martial artists who came by the dojo, she learned enough about gems to spot any flaws. "Okay and why would you pay Saotome's debts? Are you another fiancée?"

"Great, another one," growled Akane. "I bet the pervert is going to love this."

Usagi delivered a cold glare at the Tendo girl. "No... this is not for a marriage, and I am not a fiancée. And I would suggest you grow up, little girl. Throwing around such slander could get you...disciplined. And I guarantee that many who would take offense to your words would not be so kind as to warn you before separating your head from your shoulders." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Or perhaps you would rather wait until Saffron returns, and tries to kill you again."

Akane paled. "H-h-h-how do you know of Saffron?"

Usagi smirked. "Unlike you, I prefer to know before judging. Now, be silent and let the adults talk."

Akane tried to growl, but was silenced by Nabiki's hand. "Threatening my sister is not a way to earn good grace with us."

Usagi smiled. "Well, neither is demeaning those I care for. Now, we shall either discuss this, or I will move on to other pastures. I'm certain others would love my offer, Nabiki."

The Ice Queen remained expressionless, but nodded. "Then why are you here?"

Usagi nodded, sipping her tea before continuing. "I am here to pay off his debts, and arrange for a meeting of all interested parties Saturday for a funeral for Ranma."

Nodoka tried to appear calm. Since her son's disappearance, she had worried about him, but the constant reassurance of her husband kept her from fearing the worst. "But why would we throw him a funeral. Is he not still alive training for a fight?"

Usagi shook her head. "I have no clue what lies the dishonorable panda has told you, but one week ago, two fools named Tatewaki Kuno and Happosai misused an ancient magical artefact, and sent myself, your son, and a beast of unimaginable power into a place called the Null Point Prison. It is a world comparable to Eden, but meant as a war zone." She set down her tea, staring into the near empty cup. "You see, the device was made by a race with few skills, to send whatever horrors they could not defeat to this place, where the magic would summon a champion to kill it. But since those bastards sent a good being into it, the magic summoned a creature of evil to kill him."

She looked up to the face of Nabiki. "Since Ranma was both good and a nexus of chaos, it looked for someone who was evil and a nexus of order. But such things don't exist, as even warlords and dictators are chaos, bowing to their own whims rather than any normal order. I was chosen as a representative of order, as the beast was chosen as one of evil. In this world, for every day that passed here, one hundred years passed there.

"After 300 years, we were able to open a portal to leave, but the creature tried to follow." A tear began to fall down her face. "Ranma...he held it inside the wormhole as we escaped. But the wormhole collapsed, and he and the creature..."

She shook her head. "Ranma is dead." She tossed a necklace at Nodoka. "He gave me this...in case he didn't make it."

Nodoka didn't need to open it, she already recognized it. It was a present she had given Ranma last month when he turned seventeen: it was a locket with her picture in it, as well as the last picture she had taken with him before the training trip. "My son..."

"Wait!" said Akane, "how could he escape with you if he died?"

Usagi smirked. "Did you think that a single man and woman would hold onto lost and often unrequited love for three centuries?"

Akane growled. "You...you...you PERVERTS!"

Her tirade was cut short as Usagi seemed to teleport over to her, burying her fist in the Tendo School heir's gut. "I see what I told you failed to stick." Removing her fist, Usagi resumed her seat, as Akane bent over the table, trying to catch her breath. "And to finish my answer, we had five children."

"Grandbabies?" asked Nodoka, only to receive a scoff from Usagi.

"So, I tell you your son died, was sentenced to death by two idiots who have plagued this house for over a year, listen while this little girl whom your son once loved calls him names, and all you can respond to is that you have grandchildren?" Seeing Nodoka look at her with clueless eyes, as if that was the right answer, Usagi shook her head. "Well then, I guess they will be taking my last name. At least it will save them from the dishonor the panda had brought upon the Saotome name."

"My husband is an honorable man," said Nodoka, her voice now turning ice cold.

Usagi smirked. "Explain to me how whoring out your son on false promises is honorable? How is it honorable to toss a child into a pit of starving cats while he is bound with fish products, until he is past screaming for his mother, and the cats drive him mad? How is it honorable to make multiple promises for his hand in marriage for as little as a bowl of rice, a fish, and two pickles? How is it honorable to trick your child into signing a contract that if they meet some ill defined term as being a 'man among men' that they'll have to kill themselves?"

Usagi stared at Nodoka, her eyes cold as death. "Here is how it will go down, Mrs. Saotome. We will have the funeral Saturday, my children and I will then be the ones to dispense justice to the Kuno clan as well as the founder of this school. Any assaults on any of our persons will be met with either deadly force or with an act that will cripple the attacker. I will leave it up to my children if they have any desire to keep in contact with any of you. Frankly, I would rather never have any of these people—you included—cross my path again. If they try and force the issue, death will be something they call for when we are finished with them."

Standing up and smoothing her outfit out, she bowed to Nabiki. "The funeral will begin at 3PM. Also, I will stop by later tomorrow. If possible, I would like a photo album of any and all photos you have stored of my mate. It would be nice to have solid photos to look at. Good day."

Before Nodoka could try and shame her into recanting her statements, Usagi faded from sight.

* * *


	2. Chapter 1

**When Angels Fall**

**Chapter 1**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

* * *

After Usagi left, silence ruled at the table, no one really certain what to do.

Nabiki was the one to break the quiet, pushing back from the table. "I...I need to go buy those photo albums." She slowly made her way to leave the dining area, when she felt Nodoka's hand on her leg.

"Dear, we will not be helping that girl." As the girls' expressions of shock fell on her, she continued. "She has failed to show proper respect to—"

"LET ME GO!" screamed Nabiki, yanking herself away from Nodoka. "She tells you that your son is dead, and the only thing you can do is giggle about the fact you have grandchildren?" Before Nodoka could interrupt, she continued. "No, I will help her, because this is for someone who was a friend to this family. Don't think just because you sleep here, Saotome, that you have any say in the matters of this household. In truth, the only ones that do have any say are me and my sisters. So **we** are having the funeral, and **we** are helping this woman who spent the last 300 years with your son."

Nabiki turned away heading for the door. "Now if you excuse me, I; the breadwinner of this family since our Mother passed away and our Father couldn't be bothered with such a trivial matter as supporting his own daughters, need to get things ready. Stay or go; the matter is no concern of me. But ruin this funeral, and I guarantee you will know real disrespect!" With that, she stormed out of the house.

Akane just stood, walking to the dojo, ignoring the calls of Nodoka.

_Ranma...is...gone. He...he isn't coming back. He...he l-l-l-l-loved me!_ The heir to the Tendo School entered the dojo; ignoring the bricks she had set up to practice before Usagi's meeting; choosing instead to head over to a beaten training dummy with a pigtail taped to it.

She slowly removed the pigtail; a bit of hair from Ranma during the Dragon's Whisker incident, and walked over to the corner, clutching the hair to her chest. When she got there, she sat in the corner, and began to cry.

Kasumi went to her room, the kitchen no longer feeling...good...to her. She sat on the bed, fidgeting with her hands. Part of her wanted to be mad; she knew that. She wanted to be mad at Nodoka for how she acted, how the Fathers acted. She wanted to be mad at all the people who had abused her Little Brother, who made his life hell for no other reason than because they felt they were deserving of such actions.

As the tears ran loose, she turned, throwing her face into her pillow as she continued to cry.

Most of all, she wanted to be mad at the universe that would let someone like Ranma end up like he did. _Just like Mama!_

Nodoka sat in the dining room, alone. She was confused as to why the Tendo girls had acted the way they did. Shouldn't they have rejected the girl because of honor? Wasn't her apparent disrespect apparent enough to warrant her denial of the request? _He had grandchildren! But the...the girl...won't let them take the Saotome name. Why? Are we not a great and honorable clan? Hasn't my husband added to our honor? Surely, I know the girls would be upset that my manly son won't be around anymore to fulfil their womanly desires, but still... Surely his sons would do what is necessary for family honor._

_And honor is everything..._

_Isn't...it?_

* * *

Usagi sighed as she faded into view on the roof with her children. "Well?"

Tenma looked towards the Tendo home. "The Mother is still acting like a delusional fool. The middle child went to get the albums, the youngest is in the dojo crying, and the oldest is in her room crying."

Ryoko shook her head. "They should be together. Father told us how they lost their Mother. Why are they acting separately on this?"

Usagi shook her head. "They are trying to deal with it in their own ways for now." She turned back to face the dojo, seeing Nodoka still sitting at the table, tea in hand. "Soon, they will seek each other for comfort, for assurance that things will be okay. You all might consider making appearances to help facilitate this."

"Yes, Mother," came the murmured reply.

"Also, no attacking the others when we arrive, just use pressure points. Knowing them, they're certain to be...jumpy...when we arrive."

Ranko growled. "I wish we could go get those bastards now."

Usagi turned with sad eyes towards her youngest child with Ranma. "I know; I wish it too. But...things need to be done first. First we talk with the Senshi, then my own family. I would rather wait until after the funeral before seeking such vengeance. But...try to avoid innocents, and let us at least come up with a plan so no culpability falls on us."

Ranko smiled. She would make certain they would pay, but she knew she didn't want such actions to fall on her family.

With that, they faded from view.

* * *

"WHAT?" screamed the Senshi when Ami told them of her energy findings.

The meeting had been slow going at first, no one really quite certain exactly what there was to talk about. They had seen Sailor Moon in her least powerful form literally punch a hole through an enemy that had been kicking their asses, the Lunar Guard finishing the horde in less time than it took to blink.

And her eyes... The eyes in battle had shown no resemblance to what they had ever expected to see in their leader.

And now, they learned she was also in possession of the energy of the Ginzuishou **and** the Jakokusuishou.

"Did Momma turn evil?" asked Usa, her own memories of what Wiseman had done to her with the Jakokusuishou still fresh in her head.

"I don't know, Usa," said Ami, still going over the data. "Neither form of energy was dominant in either way on the other. They seemed...balanced."

Setsuna shook her head. "She must be under some spell. The Gates of Time cannot even get a lock on her, and this Lunar Guard was never in the past."

Haruka cracked her knuckles. "Well, let's go find whatever knocked her loose and fix it."

"Oh really," said a disembodied voice, causing the two Outers; Haruka and Setsuna, to jump from their seats and across the room.

Slowly fading into view, Usagi could be both heard and later seen giggling. "You have no idea how long I've waited to do that."

The others could only stare blankly at her with surprise and shock, as she took the seat vacated by Setsuna. "Okay, guys, you can drop the Umisenken now."

Slowly, five figured faded into view behind her, once again wearing the cloaks.

Usagi, not even looking, shook her head, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Drop the Jedi stuff, you five. Not like you have anything to fear from them."

Sighing, the five removed the hoods of their cloaks.

Usagi smiled. "In order from your left and starting with the redhead, we have Ranko, Tenma, Raiden, Ryoko, and Keitaro. They are the Lunar Guard, no they weren't reincarnated, and yes, they are that powerful. I just haven't activated a star seed for them to transform. Does anyone have any suggestions other than Sol and Nemesis? Because I really don't feel right taking a moon from you; that is your territory."

The others slowly came to their senses. "Mama, why are you using the Jakokusuishou?" asked Usa, her pleading evident.

Usagi smiled. "Calm down, Usa. The Jakokusuishou—well, the real one anyway—has always been connected to the Ginzuishou. You see, negative energy is not evil. Like all things it is neutral until an intention and action are added to it. That is what determines its basis for either good or evil."

Seeing the faces blank again, she continued. "It was always used by the House of Serenity, but political pressure forced Serenity VIII to hide it, as the people were still afraid that negative meant evil. The one used by Wiseman was a bad copy made by early coup participants, and lead up to that decision and fear. Remember, you cannot have positive without negative, good without evil, life without death. It is the nature of the universe to seek balance, to walk the middle." She raised her tea to her lips. "Maybe that's why we were so easily defeated by Wiseman in the future: we were without balance."

Rei shook her head. "What the hell's the personality change about, Meatball-head?"

Two of the Lunar Guard chuckled a little, despite the disapproving glances of their fellow Guard.

Usagi smiled. "You change a lot with the education learned from the knowledge stored within the Ginzuishou and the Jakokusuishou. Besides, I would like to see how you change, Rei, when you're 300 years older, a mother, and a widower."

"WHAT?" screamed the Senshi, including Mamoru.

Usagi nodded. "While a day passed for you, a century passed for me. Let me explain." She gave them the details about the Null Point Prison, her 300 years there, as well as that the Lunar Guard were actually her children with Ranma.

"Then," asked Minako, "where were you for those four days after you returned?"

Usagi lowered her gaze. "I was grieving with my children. We had just escaped a place with no exits, and lost the man who had helped us all survive. If not for him, I'd have died of starvation from lack of survival skills." She drank some of the tea, never raising her gaze. "I wouldn't have come back for a while yet, but King Dim made that necessary."

"It's okay, Mom," said Keitaro as he laid his hand on her shoulder, soon to be followed by the other children.

Usa looked almost in tears, her sniffling attracting Usagi's attention.

"Don't cry, Usa. I used the combined Crystals' power to anchor you. You won't fade, and I won't abandon you. You're still my little girl, still destined to become Neo Sailor Moon. The only thing that's changed is what will become of Crystal Tokyo."

"Princess?" asked Setsuna.

Usagi turned to her, after motioning Usa to her, and setting the emotional fragile girl in her lap. "I refuse to let paradise be built on the bones of the innocent. By the end of the year, I should be able to restore the biospheres of at least two of the worlds; probably the Inner worlds, as it would be less of a strain to begin teleporting humans to them should the Great Freeze arrive early."

Usa sniffled again. "But...but what about me?"

Usagi smiled at her first daughter. "Well, you will still be you. You can still be Neo Sailor Moon if you want, but the circumstances that are shifting made me decide to ensure as soon as I could that you didn't fade from existence. You have done too much for this world to deserve such a fate, and I would miss you...spore."

"Hey!" Usa screamed, before settling down, embracing her Mother.

Mamoru stayed silent, not really certain what he could...or even should say. Usagi had fallen in love with another guy that was not him. He wanted to be angry, but...

Had he really been any better? How many times did he break up with her just because he needed to figure things out? Hell, he had dated one of her best friends, and they had even had a new break-up before she had disappeared.

It hurt. Even though he knew this guy wasn't likely to come back, it still hurt, still felt like he had forever lost her. In 300 years, this Ranma had done more for Usagi than he had ever done in a thousand. What did that say about him? What did it say for his connection to Usagi? Was he even worth it? Hell, was Ranma perhaps the real Endymion? Was he just some cosmic joke, a runner-up prize for the future Queen?

He needed time to think this out, but felt fear that if he left again, then there would be no more chances with Usagi.

As he looked at her, he could see that she had finished growing up; so to speak. No more was she the bony little girl he had first met four years ago. As she was dressed, you couldn't help but notice how defined her muscles were. They weren't bulging like a body-builder, but showed that she was in excellent shape. But the biggest difference was that she didn't look like a teenager anymore. "Usagi...you look all grown up."

It was true. As with her children, Usagi was the same in appearance as she had been when they had seen Neo-Queen Serenity. All six of them looked to be twenty-five at best. They weren't children by any shot of the imagination. They were adults.

She turned to him, her eyes cold for a bit, nearly chilling his soul, before she closed them, taking a deep breath. "That amount of time lets you grow up, Mamoru." She opened her eyes. They were no longer frozen, but did show less compassion than he had come to expect. "But I did learn to slow down my aging. I might even outlive Setsuna."

That comment brought the Guardian of Time out of her stupor. "Usagi, this...I mean...but you are Mamoru are destined to rule Crystal Tokyo."

Usagi shook her head. "Simply because you liked the possibility—one which I remind you lead to our future selves having their asses handed to them and you calling me an enemy—does not make a future anymore set in stone than the past, or need I remind you that of the Outers, you were the only one around. So, Setsuna, what happened to Haruka, to Michiru, or even little Hotaru? Where were they?"

Setsuna stayed quiet.

Usagi didn't. After waiting for a few seconds for Setsuna to come up with an answer, she continued. "If humanity chooses me as its Queen, then I shall accept, but I shall not force that decision upon them, or I would be no better than the evils we have fought. As for my marriage to Endymion, I...I still won't discount the possibility. But it will be a while before I feel comfortable with another man. I would rather rebuild the Moon Kingdom as well as the other worlds, than be a Queen of a dying people."

The other girls could only nod, despite the feelings of Setsuna. They swore to speak more on this, but decided to hold off for a bit, to celebrate the return of their leader.

Mamoru, however, was waiting more for a chance to speak with Usagi, to see where they stood, but found his courage floundering when faced with the thought that she had barely lost her love a week ago.

Did he really have the right to call her on it now? Did he have a right to even ask her that question?

Sighing, he stared into his soda. Now was not the time. For now, he would support her in her time of need, and hope that maybe, she would need him again.

* * *

The Tsukino family made their way to the home of the parents of their Mother: Kenji and Ikuko, as well as the brother Shingo. Usagi had little doubt that their arrival would cause some...chaos. After all, their eighteen year old daughter had disappeared for a week, only to return looking close to twenty-five, and with five children. _Lucky they still haven't figured out that Usa is also my daughter._

Said little girl was being held by her Mother, finding a comfort she had thought she had lost once.

"You sure this'll be okay, Mom?" asked Raiden. "We've got enough cash to cover an apartment for a few months."

Usagi shook her head as best she could with Usa's sleeping head on her shoulder. "No. They need to know. After all, it's not like I can count on a disguise field, and I fail to see why I should hide my intelligence. Besides, it's better than Daddy deciding that you guys might be a bad influence on me."

Ryoko chuckled. "Man, why can't we have sane grandparents?"

Ranko shook her head. "That...is not within our scope to procure."

Keitaro chuckled. "Look who we come from, and tell me a normal life exists for us without chaos?"

The group stopped, a look of sadness came over them.

"Enough of this shit," said Raiden. "Look, Dad wouldn't have wanted us acting like this."

"Still hurts," said Ranko, still desiring to share her pain with a certain pair of perverts.

Usagi shook her head again, altering her holding of Usa to get a better grip on her child. "Let's just go home. We've all had a rough day, and a good night's sleep would be helpful." _Besides, I need to see Luna. Wonder why she wasn't at the meeting? _

And like that, the Tsukino family began to finish their trek, and with no idea what lay in store for them. For them, this day was far from finished.

* * *


	3. Chapter 2

**When Angels Fall**

**Chapter 2**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

* * *

Nabiki slowly made her way back to the dojo, several empty photo albums in her bag. Her emotions were not playing across her face like her sisters, but they were there, bubbling, waiting for a sign of weakness in the mask of the Ice Queen, to break through.

She was still fighting the desire to begin crying, to show emotions and feelings for one whom she had used. It felt...wrong...to her to cry for Ranma.

It wasn't because he didn't deserve those tears. No, if anyone deserved to be remembered fondly it was Ranma. He had always taken risk unto himself to help her family.

No, the real reason was because her tears weren't worthy of him. She was nothing but an abuser to him. She had used whatever means at her disposal to keep him hemorrhaging money. Hell, she had even threatened to reveal his curse to his Mother, threatened to allow Shampoo to kill "girl-type" Ranma when she had first arrived.

No, she wouldn't sully someone like Ranma with her tears.

She placed her hand against a wall, trying to force the mask back on, to keep the layers from cracking. She would cry at the funeral after forgiveness was granted, after her sins had been absolved. Until then, she would remain the frozen bitch people called her when they felt she wasn't able to hear them.

She had feelings, despite what others claimed or what her actions alluded to. She had rage against a Father who couldn't be bothered to support his daughters. She felt despair for a sister who gave up her own dreams to become a caretaker. She felt sadness for her little sister, who wasted her time with someone she loved, because pride was more important than openness.

She felt much more for the pigtailed boy who had fallen, though not the sort of love her sister had for him, or other girls claimed to have for him as well. She was happy he had found love, found children of his own, and grew up. She was angry with him for wasting his time with Akane when they could have done so much more together, for allowing people to push him around, to occasionally not doing the right thing for the right reasons, and for finally dying.

Most of all, she was saddened that he had lost his life, because now he would leave so many things unanswered, so many hearts left empty...

"Nihao!"

He had left so much unfinished. _I...I guess I should begin my penance._ "Shampoo, I need to talk with you and Ukyo."

"What Mercenary Girl want?" asked the bubbly Amazon, still on her delivery bike with an order yet to be delivered. "You have news on Airen, yes?"

Nabiki nodded. "No charge. But...but you all need to know what's happened."

Shampoo lowered her gaze, before delivering a menacing look at Nabiki. "What stupid panda-man do now?"

Shaking her head, Nabiki turned to walk away. "Be at the dojo at nine tonight, and bring your great-grandmother with you. I won't go over this again."

Shampoo growled a bit, not used to being so disrespected by the Tendo girl. If there was news of where Ranma had gone, she wanted it **now!**

But she did still have a delivery to make, and her great-grandmother would be better prepared to get the information out of the Tendo girl. So, she would wait.

She just doubted that they would be waiting until nine to get it.

As she heard the Amazon ride off, Nabiki felt her knees weaken a bit, the full feeling of what **could** have happened to her surfacing. _No...NO! I can't be weak now! They'll be much worse when they finally learn of what happened!_

She knew what she could do: she could send them after the real villains, the real scourges that had slain their Airen/Ranchan. She had no doubt that they would still seek some matter of vengeance against the Tendo family, if for nothing more than petty spite. With Cologne there, they might not do much damage, but the need would still be there, and it could only be restrained for so long.

As she entered the grounds, she heard two things that further drew pain into her soul: the sobs of her little sister, and the quiet suggesting that Kasumi was immobile as well. Entering the dojo, she saw Akane, still in the corner, still clutching a pigtail of a training dummy, still crying.

As she stepped closer, she felt her own heart getting heavier, a feeling of weight growing on her shoulders, the mask beginning to shatter. _No, not like this, we shouldn't be like this._

Before Akane knew what was happening, she found herself walking, still clutching the pigtail. Entering the house, she was happy to see no sign that Nodoka was currently there. As she became more aware of her surroundings, she noticed that Nabiki was supporting her, walking her to the stairs.

They passed Ranma's room, passed the doors to both of their rooms, coming to a stop at Kasumi's door, where a gentle sob could be heard.

Without waiting for an invitation or even announcing their presence, Nabiki merely opened the door, revealing the sprawled out form of Kasumi on the bed, face down, filling her pillow with tears.

Soon, she watched as Nabiki led her to the bed, arousing Kasumi to their presence. Before each sister knew what was happening, both were sitting on the bed, Nabiki between them, the albums on a dresser, and all three embraced in a hug.

And for the first time in a long while, the middle Tendo let her tears fall. _Never again, will we be apart. Never again, will we forget each other. Never again, will we cry...alone._

* * *

Ikuko sat on the couch, staring into the television. She knew something was wrong, as she had not seen her daughter for a week. The other girls claimed she was on a camping trip, which soon gave way to a constantly spiraling and puzzling story, that had ended with Usagi shaving her hair and becoming a nun in some temple on a forgotten island.

She couldn't fault the girls for protecting their friend, and only Mamoru's presence had kept her husband from hunting him down on the belief that Usagi had eloped with the college student. But what could Usagi have been up to that resulted in her friends acting and talking like...like clueless idiots?

Hearing the door open, she looked towards it, receiving the shock of her life.

"Mom...um...I'm back."

Seeing her formerly gangly little girl now looking like a beautiful adult, Ikuko took the smart option, and passed out.

"Way to go, Mom," said Tenma, "you killed Grandma."

* * *

Ikuko was now sitting at the kitchen table, looking at her daughter, and six new...grandchildren. Usagi had not held back, believing her Mother could handle the whole truth.

So, she told her everything, from being Sailor Moon, to the battles they had fought, the truth behind Chibi-Usa. She told her about the Null Point Prison, the birth of her children with Ranma, how he had acted when at 293, he had discovered his first grey hair.

She told her Mother about the death of her mate, the near mental break she had had when they had returned home, only to discover three days had passed. She told her of nearly going berserk and hunting down everyone who had ever wronged Ranma, of securing Usa to this time, so she would never fade.

She told her Mother everything.

And Ikuko took it. After three hours, the woman still sat in the chair, awake, alert, and still listening, never judging.

Finally, she spoke. "Usagi. I...I don't know what to say."

"It's okay, Mother," said the woman who had left this home still a child. "Tonight, you have learned more than you would ever have imagined, and even to the best, such tasks of knowledge would be daunting."

Ikuko laughed a little. "If I knew those crystals would have given you such an education, I would have made you listen to them sooner, instead of sending you to school."

Usagi giggled. "I could only listen to them because Ranma taught me how to be balanced. Otherwise, I'd still be a bumbling goofball set to turn the world into a happy little grave." She shook her head in disgust. "Usa, I'm beginning to understand why Black Lady hated the future me so much."

"You weren't all bad, Momma," said Usa, trying to be supportive. True, her mother: the Neo-Queen Serenity, had been fanatical at times with her doctrine, but she was still her Mother.

Now, that might be all she had left; memories of a Mother who would never be, and parents who might not ever get together to have her, but still would allow her to exist.

Usagi still hugged the girl, who had yet to leave the protective and loving embrace of her Mother. She knew that Usa would have other problems as time went on. While she knew her daughter enjoyed the idea that she could live as a normal girl, and not Neo-Princess Serenity, she knew her daughter would miss her old life, even if she never wanted to admit it. "I was, if not in public, at least I can admit I was my own monster in private."

"Now what, Usagi?" asked Ikuko. "We can't exactly tell your father this; he'll go off and become a youma hunter to protect his little girl, and Shingo would blab this out in a heartbeat."

Usagi nodded. "As far as they need to be concerned, the Null Point Prison stopped us from aging any further than we are now."

Ryoko looked down. "So, we tell half truths to protect everyone from the whole truth."

Keitaro nodded. "They aren't...wise enough...to handle such things. While Grandfather would accept us, he was shown to us by Mother's stories to be over-protective. Our Uncle cares more for his own appearance to friends than his actual safety. No, they are not wise enough to handle such things."

Ikuko smiled. "I'm glad my grandchildren are smart. But, you all need to grieve as well. Maybe you can tell me about your Father. I would love to know the man that had helped my daughter find peace."

Ranko smiled outwardly, but inside, she was seething. While one grandparent was showing wisdom and true love for her child and new extended family, she felt reminded of the failures of the grandparents on her Father's side. _Why couldn't Grandmother Nodoka be like this? Why couldn't Daddy have had a happy family?_

"I'm afraid I must depart," said Raiden, setting down his cup of tea that Keitaro had made earlier when Ikuko was starting to come around.

Usagi turned towards her oldest child. "Son?"

He bowed. "Mother, I must go to ensure that things do not become chaotic in Nerima when others learn of both our Father's passing, and our existence. It would be best to stave off such foolhardy attacks until the situation is clear. I for one would not like our caring Grandmother to have to deal with any stupidity generated by our worthless Grandfather."

Ikuko looked at him. "I do hope you are talking of this...Genma," she spat out the name, trying not to vomit at a few tales Usagi had mentioned during her story.

He nodded. "Some of them would either seek us out to try and force compensation for his actions, our replacement as a mate, or an innocent messenger for delivering such news."

Usagi nodded. "Be careful and call us if things start to go badly."

He smiled. "They couldn't touch me if they wanted to." Fading from view, there wasn't even a breeze to tell them he had left.

Ikuko looked worried. "He won't kill anyone...will he?"

Ranko chuckled. "No. If she wanted people dead, she would've sent me. But I only want the ones responsible for our Father's death. Let them come to me if they seek a painful end."

Her Grandmother was not amused.

* * *

The two fiancées stared at the Tendo sisters—now dressed in formal kimonos—inside the dojo, only Cologne showing any emotion other than shock.

"So then, child," said Cologne, trying to be passive, "you took this woman's words at face value."

"Of course not," spat Akane. "She carried the locket he received from his Mother last month. Do you know what it would've taken to get that from him?"

Seeing the questioning gaze of the Elder, who could easily think of no less than five ways to get it from Ranma—usually using drugged food—Nabiki stepped in. "She knew the Umisenken, and did it to a degree that even Ranma couldn't achieve when we last saw him. She just didn't simply become hard to see, she faded from view completely."

Cologne shook her head, sadly having to believe them now. She had no doubt that the middle Tendo could recognize the signatures of the Umisenken. After all, the girl had always been one to make astute and keen observations. "So then, what now?"

Kasumi wiped her nose, tears no longer falling, but sinuses still dripping. "The funeral is this Saturday. It's being held here. If Ms. Usagi returns, we'll be certain to call you and let you know so that you may ask her questions."

Ukyo simply stared on towards Akane. "So, sugar, exactly why did she stop here? Surely the arrangements for the funeral could have been held somewhere else?"

Akane growled. "Even with him dead, you're still trying to play with him as a prize?"

Shampoo was soon growling. "Shampoo want know why strange girl who steal Airen come here as well."

She was silenced by a hit on her head from Cologne's cane. "Enough of that, child. A brave warrior has fallen, and we are in no position to act like Musk."

Mousse, however, had been listening in from the other side of the door, chose that moment to burst in. "At last, dear Shampoo, now we can be together!"

He soon found himself lifted into the air by an unseen force that had grasped his throat, before said force slammed him into the ground. Before Mousse could blink, his robes were pinned to the floor by an assortment of knives, as a figure faded into view, holding another knife to the myopic Amazon's throat. Mousse saw a man with blue eyes and short cut blond hair; his glasses have fallen over his eyes when his back encountered the dojo floor.

"I am Raiden," said the figure. "And you will be silent about any joy your worthless ego finds in the death of my Father, or like my sister feels he should have done when you first arrived, I will kill you."

The others could only stare at what had happened, never minding the fact that Mousse had been dealt with and no resulting damage had befallen the dojo.

Cologne, however, felt her senses nearly overwhelmed when she sensed the amount of sheer power this man had within him. _Even the Phoenix God at his full power wouldn't hold a candle to this child, and even I can tell that he is the child of son-in-law!_

_Now, can I get him willingly for the tribe?_

Almost as if he could hear her thoughts, Raiden raised his gaze to her. "There will be no more fighting over this matter. Neither I nor my siblings; let alone our Mother, will take kindly to the maneuvers you used on our Father. Trust us, try to claim some sort of honor from us on the issues you fools lay on our Father, and we shall remove you from this life." He stood up. "I am Raiden Tsukino, son of Ranma Saotome and Usagi Tsukino. The Tsukino clan will neither honor nor accept any promises made by the Saotome clan in our name. We will not be coerced into joining the Amazon tribe via outdated laws, nor will we become trophies for spoiled children. Now, play nice, or I **will** kill you all now."

No one objected after Mousse tried to voice his disapproval about the threatening of Shampoo, only to have said objection stop with a fist to his gut, causing two of the Amazon male's ribs to crack slightly.

"Taking that there are no other objections," he asked, standing, and looking for either of the Amazon females or Ukyo to try and start something, he continued. "Then be here tomorrow at four in the afternoon. We shall explain more then.

"But beware, for our patience is not as it should be, and we will not take abuse as our Father did. Elder, I suggest you be ready to silence the other adults, for my siblings and I have no qualms about ending Genma's life."

He stood up. "Until after the funeral, there will be peace. It is up to you to decide if that peace is of the grave or not. We will be watching." Before the others could even think of speaking, he faded from view again.

Nabiki chuckled. "Well, I guess we'll see each other tomorrow." She stood up, smoothing her formal kimono. "If you wish to stay and have someone to talk with about this loss, feel free to join us inside the dining room."

Surprising the two other rivals against Akane for Ranma, Nabiki looked to them with a tear in her eye. "Trust us, you don't want to be alone right now."

As the Tendo sisters left to go sit in the house and comfort each other, the remaining people sat, wondering where things stood now.

Ukyo stood up, sighing. "I don't know about you two, but Konatsu's in Kyoto for some competition, so I'd rather stay with them."

Cologne nodded. "I will head home with Shampoo."

"Elder," said Ukyo. "You've lost loved ones before. Can't you stay and help us with that?"

Cologne looked at the woman, seeing that Ukyo hadn't turned to face her, but still the Elder was able to see the traces tears made as they began to wind down the chef's face.

Sighing, and sadly remembering her own lose of Shampoo's Great Grandfather, Cologne acquiesced. "Agreed."

For one night, there was no rivalry, no challenges, and no accusations. For once, there was...peace.

Raiden sighed from his perch on the roof across from the dojo as they all gathered in the dining area. "Father, I wish you could have seen this." As a tear traced his face, he smiled. His Father had cared for these people for some reason.

For Raiden, that was enough to justify him standing there, to protect them.

* * *


	4. Chapter 3

**When Angels Fall**

**Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

* * *

A roar...

That was the only warning, a sound they had wished to never hear again.

It wasn't really a roar, just the sound of the energy beast focusing its power to prepare for an attack. It didn't have vocal cords, and the usual sound it made was the plasma field it generated as what some would call skin coming into contact with the surrounding air.

Usagi looked at her mate, his eyes not showing any hint of emotion. She wanted to say something, to offer a plan to leave this place, to have some way of holding the great beast inside the tunnel, so when it collapsed, the beast would be scattered across existence, beyond even its ability to adapt or survive. They had worked too hard for too long to open this tunnel, to open an escape from the Null Point Prison, to finally be free, and to exist back home as a couple.

They had dreamed about it since they had become a couple. They wanted to see a sunset above a city, to walk among other couples, to express love…

To live without the threat of an inhumane monster trying to kill you almost every day…

She wanted to see if he could propel them out quicker, to escape this Hell in Heaven. Usagi wanted to be with him now and forever. He was her prince, her love, her soul mate, and she was willing to do anything to keep that connection and love.

Apparently, so was he, as she found only a locket shoved into her hands, his only response.

Casting her eyes towards her mate, she saw his cocky smile back, but a few tears coming through his eyes. "Ranma?"

Before she could respond, his mouth was on hers, delivering a kiss. "I'll always watch over you all. I promise."

Before she could respond, she found herself and their children flying faster down the tunnel, as Ranma appeared to stand still; the tether that had connected them all now free from his waist.

_Why did he... NO! NO!_ "RANMA!"

"DADDY!"

They tried to go after him, tried to stop him, but time was against them, even in a place where it had no meaning, as the flows of subspace sped them towards the exit of the tunnel.

They heard his final call; the final act of the man who they had thought would never leave them, who would always stand with them and protect them from the darkness. "LUNAR DRAGON STRIKE!"

* * *

"RANMA!" screamed Usagi, sitting up in her bed, sweat pouring off her, her breathing rapid.

Usa sat up as well, having spent the night in her Mother's bed, quickly wrapping her arms around Usagi. "Momma, are you okay?"

Usagi could only clutch her youngest child, and resumed crying.

* * *

Ikuko looked towards the stairs, having heard Usagi's scream, only to be kept from racing up to her daughter by the steady hands of her grandson: Keitaro.

"She'll be fine, Usa's there with her."

Ikuko could only continue to stare. "Does she…"

Keitaro sat back down, drinking some tea. "Yeah. It's a nightmare about what happened when Dad decided to stop the beast from coming after us." He looked outside, seeing Ryoko and Tenma sparring while Ranko appeared to be meditating. "We've each been trying to deal with it in our own ways. Ranko's been more into meditation, trying to gain control over her temper. Ryoko and Tenma spar. Raiden seems more introspective lately."

"And you?" she asked, the early morning light creating a shadow over his eyes.

"Me? I am still playing it through my mind, trying to figure out a way to have saved him." He placed the empty cup back down. "There was nothing we could do, but it doesn't make it any easier to accept that as fact."

"I assume she tried to bring him back, like she did with her friends when they died facing Beryl?" Ikuko still found that hard to believe, but trusted it since Usagi was now proof of stranger things.

He nodded. "For two days, she just sat in meditation, trying to focus the powers of the two crystals to bring him back to life." He shook his head. "In the end, all we learned is that he was either instantly reborn outside of her ability to sync with, is someplace where the crystals can't find his soul, or…" He trailed off, not wanting to admit the final possibility: that Ranma's soul was destroyed.

But that possibility had become a more solid reality as time had gone on. If his soul had been instantly reincarnated—even in another universe or dimension—Usagi would have been able to sense it.

So, all that was left was either his soul was beyond their reach, or there was no longer a soul to reach for.

Ikuko nodded, trying to be supportive as best as she could. "What about Mamoru?"

He looked up, staring into her eyes. "To be honest, we're not really certain how to view him. We know she still likes him, but after Dad… That is a topic best left for the future to work out. If they can find love together, then I don't think any of us would stand in their way."

Ikuko nodded. "That is a very adult position to take. But will that hold up in practice?"

He chuckled. "Probably not." He turned around, looking at his last sibling: Raiden, asleep on the couch. "When did he get back?"

"Three," said Ikuko. "I was awake when he returned."

This surprised Keitaro, since it was only six in the morning. "Not much for sleeping?"

She smiled. "I had too much of a shock yesterday. I'm still feeling the buzz."

He nodded, knowing what she was talking about. He stayed awake for three days after he was finally able to start launching energy blasts. "He say anything?"

"Yes. He had to discipline a myopic duck?" she answered, confusion evident on her face.

He chuckled again. "Mousse. The guy is as blind as Mother is hungry, and changes into a duck."

Ikuko, having taken as truth the tales of Jusenkyo that Usagi had related to her, nodded in understanding. "Anyway, the Amazon females and Ukyo stayed with the Tendo sisters last night, sharing their grief and stories of Ranma. He says they seemed better before they fell asleep."

Smiling, he sighed. "Dad was always worried about how things would be when we returned. He was a little worried about our safety if the others found out he was no longer on the market."

Ikuko sighed. "You think they'll leave you alone afterwards?"

"Not a chance in hell," he said flat out, without a moment's hesitation. "The Amazons might seek an alliance, which Mom might approve of, since they do resemble some of the Old Guard from the Moon Kingdom. We know the Phoenix will seek us out once Saffron is old enough to want to ascend again, since Dad gave Mom the Keys of Ascension to hold. Herb might come to seek a political marriage from one of my sisters. Then we have the worthless panda trying to leech off us. But since Mom and Dad weren't married under formal ceremonies or legal ones in Japan, he won't be able to touch us or anything we own. But I doubt that'll stop him from trying to engage us so that he can live on easy street."

"And his wife?" she asked, knowing how touchy that subject was now, as even she found herself feeling little empathy with Nodoka Saotome. It had taken much of Ikuko's constitution and self-control not to immediately go after the woman.

He snorted. "The woman was happier to have grandchildren than upset about her son being dead. For all I care, the Saotome clan can burn in hell. The only good thing they ever had died saving us. From what we saw yesterday and what we know from Dad's stories, I fear there is little to be gained from associating with them other than chaos and trouble."

He shook his head. "I know Dad was hoping we could all be happy together—he was eternally optimistic like Mom at times—but…I fear too many bridges have been burned by them for even an uneasy alignment to occur."

She nodded. "I agree." She grabbed his hand in her own. "Your Father was a great man, and he helped raise some great children. I truly wish I could have known him in person."

"Thanks," he smiled. "So, I take it you'll want a little chat with Luna when Shingo brings her and Diana back?" He had to smile at that. The lunar advisors had been taken by his Uncle to a pet show, so that his uncle could score some points with a new girl that had caught his fancy.

She nodded with a devilish smile. "Yes, Luna and I will definitely need a nice long talk about…training." Ikuko had been most upset—not at the fact her daughter had been battling the things that went bump in the night—but that they had no training, other than a few words of encouragement.

"And grandfather?"

She smiled. "He'll be coming home in a few hours. I'm not too upset, but he did go to Kyoto on the rumor that Usagi was there sleeping with a touring band and had run off to be a groupie."

He chuckled at her look: it was the same one his Mother had when his Father had done something stupid and that would result in a painful lesson of behavioral modification: I.E., a log upside the head.

* * *

Nodoka slowly trudged home with the drunken fathers, their night having made little progress.

Of course, several bar patrons had a strange memory of a woman yelling that her son's mistress of three hundred years was rather rude, a fat man crying about how dishonorable his weak son was for dying like a little girl, and the moans of a crying man as he lamented how his daughters would never get married now.

Nodoka was still upset with her treatment at the hands of Usagi and the Tendo girls, but found her own feelings just as torn.

She knew she was a great mother…wasn't she?

She knew she was focusing on what was important…wasn't she?

She had acted correctly…hadn't she?

She shook her head, trying to regain her focus. When they arrived back at the dojo, they would sit the girls down, and explain it well enough where they would see the correct course of action. After all, the girls would follow honor and what it demanded…wouldn't they?

Shaking her head, she looked…sadly…over to her backup against the girls and their streak of disagreement.

Soun and Genma—in panda form—were singing some bar song, as well as occasionally stopping to lament on how traitorous Ranma had acted by siring children with the loose woman lured him away from his caring and gentle fiancée.

_Maybe I should have left them in that bar…or the alley they passed out in…or the train car…or…_

Yes, this was not a battle of wit, for sadly, she was unarmed and carried no backup.

* * *

"And that's it," said Nabiki, as she placed the last photo in the album. She smiled as she looked at it, each girl having taken an album and adding what photos of Ranma they felt worked best; a collage of their chosen experiences with Ranma.

Not one picture had been left when they separated the pile Nabiki had. They all found meaning to some girl there. In the end, all of the empty albums had been filled with photos, each girl finding a special story within, and each one feeling like Ranma.

Ukyo yawned, looking at the clock. "Well, they'll be here in ten hours. We should probably get some sleep." The chef wasn't exactly certain what would happen at the meeting. Part of her wanted to fight the woman that had stolen Ranma's heart from his cute fiancée, but Akane had been right: there was nothing to fight over anymore.

Of course, another fight was already declared when three adults walked into the dining area, spotting the group of girls.

Nodoka smiled. "Ladies, we need to discuss some things."

* * *

The full Tsukino family was walking down the streets of Nerima, fresh from the train.

Kenji was rubbing his sore head, now back among the living, after his wife had shown him how hard a can of paste could be when applied to the human skull.

Shingo was hiding the scratches he had received when he had tried to impress his new interest by offering to let their cats have kittens. Luna and Diana did not enjoy being…pimped out.

Said cats were on the shoulders of their respective princesses.

Luna had not been happy about what Usagi had told her, but relented after a long…discussion…with Ikuko. _Why did she threaten to take away my catnip? WHY?_

Diana was happy that her and Little Lady could now have fun and not have to worry about simply fading from existence.

Usa was smiling, finding her connection to her Mother growing by leaps and bounds since her return, finding herself enjoying this new version of her Mother. Luna-P was even with her now as an umbrella, in case her step-grandparents decided to play…rough.

The other children were constantly on alert, each hoping for the wrong person to cross their paths at the right time.

Usagi was quiet, her right hand idly petting Luna. Inside, she was feeling worry creep in. She had no doubt that all the fiancées were at the Tendo home now, and that the Fathers would have heard of what had occurred, most likely putting their own selfish spin on things. From what Raiden had told her, the Fiancée Brigade might not be a threat, but would still be viewed with caution. After all, it was the snake you never saw that was the one most likely to bite you.

But that still left the Kunos and Happosai; two groups that were currently under a Kill-On-Sight order for at least one of her children. She had no idea how things would go with Kodachi.

Not that she was worried. After dealing with the beast for three centuries, what threat was a little girl who used potions and poisons. No, the little insane gymnast would not fair well against her, more likely ending up in intensive care after a minute, followed by a hefty lawsuit.

No, Kodachi's brother: Tatewaki, would fair far worse. He was stupid enough to see Ranko as his supposed "pigtailed goddess" and try to assault her with his unwanted attentions.

She had no illusions about what would happen should any member of her family find Happosai. While her children knew how to deal with him—now that they had more power than the letch could ever steal or absorb, and Usa was safe because of her age, she herself found it hard not to feel unrestricted rage at the diminutive man. She had visions often enough of herself choking the life from the diminutive and childish perverted founder of Anything Goes. In fact, she had already formed several plans herself on how to deal with the little letch.

But, her always eternally happy and peaceful side would rear its head.

If not for them, she never would have met and been with Ranma. They never would have had five wonderful children, and she would most likely be trying to turn the world into a living embodiment to clueless blond jokes everywhere.

Not that that simple fact would spare their lives. No. While being with Ranma had been the best experience of her life, losing him had been the worst. Happosai and Tatewaki Kuno had messed around with magic they had no understanding of, for simple revenge and petty spite.

Well, for now, they merely needed to deal with two incompetent fathers and one mentally displaced mother. Ranma had seen the Tendo Dojo as his home, and in her eyes, it deserved to house his funeral. She knew the true proprietors of the place agreed.

Now, she just needed to deal with the freeloaders.

Of course, as with her mate, Usagi was finding it disturbingly frequent for Murphy's Law to butt into her life.

Ranko; however, was thanking whatever Kami had answered her prayers, as she was now able to release some stress on a truly deserving target.

"Pigtailed Goddess! You have returned to me!"

They stared at the delusional fool, with only one thought in their collective minds: Dead Man Walking!

* * *


	5. Chapter 4

**When Angels Fall**

**Chapter 4**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

* * *

As the parents continued to berate from their frozen positions—as Cologne had been kind enough to hit their paralysis points to keep them from interfering—the former fiancées began to prepare for the arrivals of Usagi and her family.

Enough snacks to feed a small platoon were laid out; the assumption being that it was a Saotome blood trait to need more food than you weighed.

The parents were off to a corner, still trying to change the minds of the women. Soun was trying to convince his daughters that they needed to be strong and demand that these children of Ranma help unite the schools, while Genma cried about how dishonorable his son was to cheat on his loving and gentle fiancée with this blond outsider.

Nodoka remained silent, simply watching, and trying to decide which instinct she should follow. While part of her still mentally danced for joy that she now had grandchildren, part of her was finally beginning to realize what she had lost with the passing of her son. Never again would she behold him, talk with him, comfort him when the stress of his life got to him.

Not that she did such things anyway. Ranma never cried before his Mother, knowing it would be seen by her as unmanly.

Were the girls showing disrespect to their elders? Yes, but Cologne had hit the points, not the Tendo girls themselves, and Cologne was also helping prepare for the arrival, not admonishing the girls for lack of proper decorum and acknowledging the superiority of their elders in such matters. Nodoka wasn't sure if the ancient Chinese Amazon was helping because of some sense of loyalty to Ranma, or if she was interested in acquiring one of the children of Ranma and Usagi for the tribe. But she did still believe that the girls should have followed her beliefs, no matter how hypocritical they actually were, when she expected them to obey their elders, but did not offer the same services herself to her elders, let alone make hold her husband to account for his own dishonorable actions. Then again, she had no troubles with her son dishonoring other women by having children with them outside of marriage.

Part of her was still debating words heard from the Tendo girls last night while they had first learned of Ranma's demise, as well as the words said while the group was preparing for the arrivals of the others when Nodoka and the fathers had arrived early this morning. Not much had been said in the morning when they had arrived as Cologne had hit those spots to paralyze their muscles, as well as one to keep them silent, before the parents could even think to berate their children for not immediately bowing to their wishes.

"The dishes are prepared," called out Kasumi, as she brought in a tray, followed by Ukyo and Shampoo. "Oh, I do hope we've prepared enough food. If they are blood kin to the Saotome line, then this may not be enough."

"Everything looks nice outside," said Akane. She had spent the time since she had awakened to clean the outside and prepare the dojo, should she perhaps earn the right to learn from Ranma's children. In truth, she hoped they had at least one daughter to train her, as part of her was still upset that Ranma had never taken their sparring matches seriously. She knew now that she had done very little to warrant such treatment by the children of the man she had loved. She didn't expect them to be open to her; a sign of her past behavior coming to haunt her. But in time, she hoped to prove she had changed, and was not the same little girl who had malleted Ranma so often.

Nodoka studied the youngest Tendo, trying to figure out where things stood with her. Despite what one would expect, Akane seemed…happier than yesterday. She had no idea that the girl had cried out her old hang-ups last night, surrounded by family and friends. She had no idea that this Akane had found some peace; one which she was ready to test against the woman who **had** been with Ranma. Part of her was still resisting the idea that she was not in control, but a growing part of her wanted to learn of the life her son had led, despite how she had been treated by the woman her son had chosen to bore his children through.

Nabiki came downstairs with the albums, as well as copies of…legal…photos of Ranma, since she doubted his children would want to see the racier ones.

Those were reserved for his wife, if she so wanted them. Hey, with three hundred years of free time, even his mate must have had that curiosity once. Otherwise, the former Ice Queen could think of no other reason how Usagi and Ranma had had only five kids. Unless Usagi had a staggered time in-between periods of ovulation, she had a large gap to cover. And only the union between her and Ranma-chan would explain such times.

That is, of course, unless there had been some deaths among the children due to the beast. In which case, all of them had agreed not to broach such topics unless started by either Usagi or their children. The last thing they wanted to due was add to the distress the groups on either side were feeling.

As they sat down, they prepared mentally for the arrival.

Kasumi smiled first. "Now, no one will play rough with Ranma-kun's family, will they?" She knew they had all agreed not to, but it never hurt to remind them all at what they had promised each other.

Everyone knew what she was really asking. While Kasumi never admitted to knowing what was occurring, she did know that the proper decorum needed to be observed, and she would be damned before she let the children Ranma had while imprisoned be ignored and treated as outcasts, or worse, as pawns in the games that the parents—including Cologne—had used towards their own gains.

Ukyo smiled. "Nah, I don't think I'll play anymore." While she had yet to fully accept that Ranma was gone, she had at least accepted the fact that he would not be coming back. Deciding that she had no care for her Father's misguided sense of revenge; she chose to at least honor her fiancé and friend by making his family…feel welcome.

Shampoo as well as the Tendo sisters nodded. "Shampoo be good." She also had no quarrels with Usagi or the new family her Airen had. While true she had often dreamt that such things were hers with Ranma, she would accept that he did what he felt he needed to do. If they liked her, all the better. But her great grandmother had assured her that she was safe, and that these people should be held in high honor.

Cologne was still deep in thought. While she had helped the girls start to work past their feelings for the death of Ranma, she was still hoping that perhaps a possible son of the pigtailed savant would find Shampoo a desirable mate. After all, a treaty would only get you so far, but the bloodline itself would get you farther.

Not that she would press such matters, deciding that perhaps that pursuit itself was what had poisoned Ranma from siding with the Amazons and wedding Shampoo. Sure, she wouldn't force such an issue, but she could still help things along...as long as it didn't lead to her invoking their wrath.

As the group discussed their up-in-coming questions about what to ask the Tsukino clan, their discussion was interrupted by the sound and eventually showing of the two Kuno children being sent through the outer wall.

"Well," Nabiki said, "it looks like they've met the full members of this little event."

Akane nodded, finding some small joy—well, actually a large amount of joy—that the Kuno clan would soon fall.

* * *

Tatewaki Kuno: Age 17: The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, had thoroughly enjoyed the week since his "banishment of the foul sorcerer, Ranma Saotome" from Nerima.

Though the spell had not worn off the fierce tigress yet, he was not worried, as he still had to find his beloved pigtailed girl, who was still missing after the banishment of Ranma.

He was currently heading over to the Tendo Dojo, to purchase information from Nabiki Tendo about the location of his pigtailed goddess.

That was, of course, until she appeared before him, walking with a group. "Pigtailed Goddess! You have returned to me!" he screamed, before lunging towards her, waiting for her to leap into his loving arms.

What he got was a kick to the stomach and a hand wrapping around his throat, lifting him up from the ground.

Apparently, the pigtailed girl was still under Saotome's spell.

* * *

Ranko looked at the filth she had in her hand; the filth that had led to her Father's death, something she felt she would gladly trade her existence for to know he was still around.

Her anger grew, feeding a blood red battle aura. For years inside the NPP, she had always fostered deep hatred for those that put her Father and Mother there. It didn't matter that without those same people, she might never exist: her Father more disposed to the confused Tendo heir, and her Mother disposed towards a confused Tuxedo fighter. In her mind, she always had dreams about finding certain members of the so-called Nerima Wrecking Crew, as her Father called them. She had dreams of frying Mousse, shoving the bokken up Kuno's ass, selling Ryoga for a pork dinner, placing Happosai on an island with nothing but homosexual males, etc…

Now…here…she had one such irritant in her hand, and was determined to enjoy it. "So, this is the sorry baka who killed my father because his cursed form preferred only women."

"What?" asked Kuno, breath still allowed to flow, since Ranko wanted him to suffer more. "Surely, my brave and noble self saved you from the foul sorcerer's ministrations!"

She grinned an evil grin. "You use magic to send my Father to his death, and yet you blindly refuse to understand the fact he had a curse that changed him into your fucking pigtailed girl at the application of cold water."

"Nay, such things cannot exist!"

Her response was to bury her fist into his stomach, forcing his breath from him. "Don't be so fucking stupid!" she all but screamed. "You don't want to admit that a girl doesn't love you, so you blame any male who doesn't bow to your foolish ass, and your stupidity led to the death of my Father!"

"OH HOHOHOHOHO! So, my dear brother is being taught a lesson by the very girl he seeks to covet!" said the deranged Kuno daughter, as she twirled her ribbon, while wearing her leotard. She then changed her glare to Ranko. "But while I enjoy the sight of you dispensing the justice my foul brother claims to represent, I cannot allow you harridan, to continue to chase my beloved Ranma-sama."

Ranko could only smile, as her day had just gotten better. "Well, well. It looks like I just won a two-for-one special."

* * *

As the group stepped through the destroyed wall, with the only shock of surprise being on the faces of the brother and parents of Usagi, they stared at the bloody and unconscious forms of the Kuno siblings.

Walking over quickly, her chest still heaving in attempt to gain control over her rage, Ranko reached inside the outfit of Kuno, using Chestnut speed to pilfer anything and everything that the deranged samurai wannabe had on his person. "Let's see… We have assorted pictures of what I'm hoping is Dad's girl form—ewwww—and…" She held an item up, giving it to her mother. "And we have a portion of the artifact. I guess they split it up afterwards to keep a double-cross from happening."

Ranko was fighting her inner demons for all she was worth, using her inner light to stave off the need to simply kill the Kuno children now. _No, they deserve to suffer more, and while alive, I will make them suffer in ways that would even make Wiseman and Beryl lose their lunches._

Nodding, Usagi turned towards Raiden and Ryoko. "Can you two drop these...deluded simpletons off at the hospital? We shall file lawsuits later for assault."

Nodding, her children vanished, taking the bloody and broken figures of the Kuno siblings with them.

"We have one person left for punishment," said Keitaro, his eyes scouring the scene for the often disastrous pervert.

"Oh, you mean Grandfather Happosai," said Kasumi, who disappeared into the kitchen, bring out said diminutive pervert, who was currently clutching his stomach

"Kasumi?" asked Happosai as he clutched his rebelling stomach. "What was in that platter you left for me? It…HURTS!"

"Oh dear," she said, sounding as she always did, only her faltering smile showed any malice. "It appears I accidentally covered Akane's food from last week with my food from this morning. How silly of me."

No one bought it, but did enjoy seeing the pervert grounded by his own greed and trust for the one person no one could believe would ever harm an innocent.

Ranko looked upon him with demented glee. Her demons once more began screaming for blood, but her honor holding them back. After all, she had promised her mother that the old pervert was hers and hers alone to deal with.

Usagi smiled, walking up to Happosai, and using her speed to loot the Grandmaster of Anything Goes of his ill-gotten gains, promising herself to search his room before she left for anymore items that would cause trouble should they fall into the wrong hands.

Her search did yield one thing she had been looking for: the other half of the artifact that had sent her and Ranma to the Null Point Prison. Placing the artifact together with the bloody one Ranko had pulled off Tatewaki; she looked at the crouching pervert. "Happosai, you are hereby charged with abuse of innocents for prideful reasons, abuse of power, abuse of privacy of others, and of sending Ranma Saotome to the Null Point Prison to die for simply being better than you. What have you to say in your defense?"

"Um…you wouldn't hurt an old man just trying to have fun, would you?"

Usagi was not amused. "But you would harm anyone who got in the way of your fun." She stood back, pointing the artifact pieces at him, watching as everyone cleared away from the doomed soul. "By overwhelming and undeniable proof, I find you guilty.

"As punishment for your numerous crimes," continued Usagi, putting the two pieces of artifact together, she pointed its now completed form at Happosai, "I sentence you to the Null Point Prison that you placed Ranma and myself in. But I set your challenger to be your inner self. Only when your inner light has decided that you have truly changed, will you be released. There, you will have no one to gleam energy from, no people to bother, and no one to push around."

Before Happosai could utter a word, he vanished, much like Ranma had when Kuno and Happosai himself had used it on the pigtailed boy.

Sighing, Usagi placed the artifact inside her personal subspace pocket. As the portal had opened, she had cast her senses into it, hoping that some long shot odd had placed Ranma inside the prison again.

She found no strong life force. Ranma was not there, and neither was the energy creature.

Seeing the concerned look on their faces, she elaborated on what she did. "His own inner light will judge him. If he never finds his inner light, and truly becomes a person of good character…"

Cologne cackled. "Then the old letch will never leave that place."

Nodding, she sat down. "Well, as we wait for Raiden and Ryoko to return from dropping off the Kuno siblings, shall we start?"

The gathering went uninterrupted after that.

* * *


	6. Chapter 5

**When Angels Fall**

**Chapter 5**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

* * *

The dojo was covered with chairs, all facing a simple photo of Ranma; split down the middle with each side showing a form: left side was male, right side was female. The picture was surrounded by a few lit candles. To the right of the photo sat Usagi and her children; minus Usa—who was currently sitting beside her Grandmother Ikuko.

There were no proud declarations this day, no people proclaiming justice served with Ranma's death—at least, none claiming it in the open where they might get blasted by one of his children or his mate. Mousse kept his mouth shut, showing no gloating at the loss of his one obstruction to Shampoo's heart—at least the only one he'd admit to. His ribs were still sore from the hit he had taken the last time he had done such.

On the right side sat the Tsukino family and the Senshi, including Mamoru. Each sat there, either crying, petting a cat, trying to figure out what was the right thing to say or do, or was just there to be supportive. In the end, they knew today was for Usagi and her new children, and now was not the time to be childish.

On the left side sat the members of what could be called the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

Ryoga sat with Akari, trying to not make a nuisance of himself as well as stay in the building. He may no longer hate Ranma as bad as he once did; a tribute to the healing voice of Akari's love, but he still felt like Ranma had cheated him of something. There would no longer be any tests of will, of incentive to learn new techniques, of rivalry and constant spars, of the thrills of testing your limits. Only now, could Ryoga admit what he had truly lost this day: a friend.

Shampoo sat with her great-grandmother and Mousse, as she wiped her eyes, the tears refusing to stop. While she had made friends with the other women after her beloved husband, she still felt her heart cry out for what could no longer be. She had always dreamed that it would be her and Ranma that would have children, that he would profess his only love for her. She wasn't going to dwell on that now, as even she realized that Akane had held the lead in that affair for a while, even if none of their group would admit it. But she held onto the dream, and would never diminish the time she had spent with Ranma over such a small matter.

It didn't make the hurt any less.

As Shampoo cried about her lost love, Cologne found herself still in awe of the children, gauging potential and trying to decide if it was even possible to bring them into the tribe, as each one held power inside themselves that far outweighed Saffron at his best. But for now, she postponed such actions until after the funeral, perhaps a week or longer, when the children would be more stable. She had no desire to be beaten as the Kuno children had been.

It didn't mean she was heartless. She still mourned the loss of Ranma as something other than a great fighter. He had been a joy for her to teach, a source of unending amusement as he seemed to get himself into almost as much trouble as what sought him out. In the end, she would admit that she had been starting to consider him family. If his spirit was still around, she hoped that would appease any harshities he might feel towards her.

Ukyo sat with Konatsu, as the kunoichi handed her yet another Kleenex. Ukyo had about been destroyed when hearing the news, her heart still telling her that Ranma would have chosen her had he not been banished. While her time with the Tendo siblings had helped her begin to heal, it still did little to remove the pain of loosing him again. Her Father had sent word that he wanted her back, her mission of vengeance either completed or changed. Not that she cared. The man she had loved was dead, and she'd be damned if he thought he could order her to try and seek compensation though his children. For now, she would seek solace with her new friends in the Tendo girls, try to learn of him through his children, and maybe find some peace in that life. But for anything concerned with the Kuonji-Saotome agreement, it was over with, and she would not hold his children to it.

They were not Ranma, no matter how hard she could wish.

No Kuno would show up, a testament at how badly the children of Ranma had beaten the insane family. Only Sasuke had come to pay his respects, finding that in this one respect, he would not cower to the wishes of his masters. If nothing else, Ranma was a friend to him, and in the short time the boy had stayed at the Kuno mansion when Genma had sold an engagement, Sasuke would always remember the kind teenager who had not demeaned him. Ranma had been the one thing Sasuke had always hoped the Kuno children would be: a friend.

Last was the Tendo/Saotome group.

The Tendo girls cried, feeling sadness long since accustomed to their thoughts on their mother. For them, Ranma had been family, a concept even Akane could admit now; her fears and pride torn down by the death of someone who had loved her, even if he couldn't admit it. As it stood, they had already formed a friendship with Usagi and her children, Akane trying to grow into replacing the hole in her heart with a new source: one of happiness. She wasn't trying to replace Ranma with one of his sons, nor was she trying to replace it with anger at the woman who had seen a side of him she had wished she had gotten to know.

No, she would be the type of martial artist Ranma would have been proud of. She was glad that at the least, his children had agreed to train her, even help her gain control of her temper. She would not want him looking down on her, feeling sadness at what she had become.

She would make him proud.

Nabiki and Kasumi cried as well, having realized they had lost their "little brother". Unlike Nodoka's first reaction, they would not diminish the life of Ranma to just the sum of his children, but to the sum of his life. He had been a source of light in their lives, and had helped them more than he could have ever known.

For that, they would be grateful.

Even now, a silent Tofu sat beside Kasumi, holding her hand. With the death of a friend before him, it was enough for the moment to keep the kind doctor from leaping off to dance with random strangers. He had made a special trip after being tracked down by Nabiki to attend this funeral. He would keep himself civil for this ceremony, no matter what. He owed Ranma nothing less. Afterwards, Usagi had asked him to perform a checkup on one of her friends, who seemed to suffer from constant bouts of weakness, in the hopes that he might be able to help her live a fuller life.

Both Fathers were currently sporting a neck brace as well as several casts. The two had made the foolish mistake of assuming that they could pressure one of Ranma's sons into fulfilling the Tendo-Saotome pledge. Add to that that Kenji threatened to sue them if they ever tried something like that again, as well as Ikuko informing them that the children had already been added to the Tsukino registry, and most of the wind had been taken from the foolish men.

Not that anyone believed it would stop the fools from trying again...and again...and again. But their current state left them unable to even ruin the funeral, for which everyone else was grateful.

Nodoka was currently sporting a black eye and her left arm in a sling, after wishing to discuss her grandchildren with Ikuko.

Now, while Ikuko was far from being a martial artist, she was well versed in physical affairs; notable getting her daughter to school on time and disciplining her husband for doing something stupid when her daughter was beginning to date. As such, she was easily able to subdue the Saotome matriarch, who had only practiced with the family sword for the sole purpose of delivering the beheading blow for a seppuku ceremony.

This had of course upset Akane, who had bet that Nodoka would have at least landed a punch, and cost her ¥1000.

What followed was a dressing down given to Nodoka from the Tsukino elders about the true meaning of family, the true purpose of a parent, and the true depth of love for a child.

After three hours and seven wooden spoons and one borrowed mallet later, eventually Nodoka began to come out from her dream world. She was allowed to visit after calling and obtaining permission first. Even then, it would be touch-and-go as to whether or not the children or even Usagi would want to keep spending time with the woman. In the end, it was truly up to the Saotome woman to change her ways, and earn the respect of her grandchildren. One day, they might even take the Saotome name.

But not today.

Today was a day of mourning the one who had passed, whose final victory had come at the ultimate cost. Today was the day to pay tribute to the focal point of the Nerima weirdness.

Today was the day to celebrate the life and times of Ranma Saotome.

"WHERE IS THE OLD LETCH?"

The new Tsukino family simply lowered their heads, before Ranko stood up. "I'll deal with him. I need some more release for my inner rage anyway."

Thus, Pantyhose Taro learned that a funeral was not the place to call a dead man "femboy", especially since his children loved to protect their daddy's image.

* * *

Usagi sat on her roof, watching the sun set. She remembered doing this many times with Ranma in the Null Point Prison, when she had been trained enough to use the Crystals to create such things as a home, furniture, clothing...

Tears began to slowly go down her face, her soul still feeling somewhat...empty, as though she would never be whole again.

_Anata..._

"Usako?"

She turned, seeing Mamoru climbing over the roof's edge, the tall rails of a ladder the only sign of how he had gotten here. "Yeah?" she asked, her hand quickly checking her face for tears.

"Are you...are you going to be alright?"

She turned slightly back towards the sun, trying to find an answer to her path. Did she still care for Mamoru? She was certain she did. She knew after 300 years, even Ranma still carried a spark for Akane.

But was she ready yet to jump into a relationship like that? "Not for a while, Mamo-chan."

He chuckled. "You haven't called me that since you got back."

She sighed. "It...it still feels like I'm going to see him hop up here, telling me to stop brooding, stop feeling sorry for myself." She pulled her legs up, burying her chin into the crook of her knees. "Is it wrong for me to be like this: knowing he can't ever come back, but still believe he can?"

Mamoru carefully walked over to her, fighting the urge to hug her, try and comfort her, but he knew the pain was still too new, too fresh. "I don't know, Usako. He's given you a strength you never knew you had, one I failed to be able to provide. As long as you keep that fire burning, he'll never really be gone from you, will he?"

"Mamo-chan...thanks."

He nodded. "Should I go?"

She smiled at that—usually it was him running off without a word. "Yeah. I...I expect you at the meeting tomorrow. Setsuna's throwing a hissy about Crystal Tokyo. I guess she doesn't like the idea of me...balancing...it out." It brought a bit of joy to her drab week to make Setsuna cringe. Her mind drew on Ranma's words.

"_Usagi, it ain't right. Removing evil like that kills a soul. I mean, look how well those Black Moon jokers beat those Senshi. The only thing you guys had that they didn't was a dark side._

"_Face it, Usako; you have to be balanced. Light within the darkness, darkness within the light; yin and yang."_

As Mamoru made his way down the ladder, Usagi turned back towards the sunset, the last rays of light fading. _I won't forget, Ranchan. I can never forget._

Part of her still dreamt he would still come back, that maybe his soul wasn't destroyed when the wormhole collapsed. Time and space were such tricky things, so much so that even the Crystals had no knowledge on the subject to offer her, still only holding the known facts from the Silver Millennium. _For all I know, his soul could have been sent back, to eventually become Mamo-chan._

It was a nice idea. They both had that roguish look, those deep blue eyes, the wavy hair... Both had that quality that drew her to them.

But, even if it was true, a soul is never really the same after reincarnation. If Endymion was Ranma, then they were no more each other than she was Princess Serenity. They had both changed, for better or for worse, and it would be folly of her to assume such things. No, she would move on. If that little daydream proved true, she would be grateful to whatever controlled the fates. If not, then she would still find her way.

She would not forget the lessons she had learned.

She lowered her legs and placed a hand on her abdomen. "And I'll make sure you know as much about your father as I can, little one, when you're ready to greet the world."

* * *

**The End? Well, if you like the fact Ranma stayed dead, then it is. If you are begging "Please, Mr. Innortal, we wanna see him live!", then read on. The Epilogue will be posted next week.**


	7. Epilogue

**When Angels Fall**

**Epilogue**

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

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* * *

Queen Serenity VI looked at the decimated field before her, counting her blessings that the explosion had not happened nearer to the palace, as well as the magical barriers of the Moon Palace had directed the incoming energy to an area of her kingdom that was uninhabited.

She had no idea what this beast was or where it had come from. The energy pouring from it was beyond anything that the Moon Kingdom or the other kingdoms of the Sol System had ever encountered, even stumping Sailor Pluto as to their appearances as well as its existence.

As for names to call this dark entity that had somehow been forced into physical existence; the only title the seers would call it before passing out was Metallia. Sighing at how useless the current lines of thoughts being generated by this creature's existence, she raised the Lunar Staff, which housed the dual crystals of the royal line. "Metallia, though we know not where you have come from, we all sense the evil that taints your spirit. I hereby invoke the power of the Lunar Royal Staff and imprison you, so that your taint shall not corrupt this or any kingdom. BE GONE!"

As the twin glows of Darkness and Light formed, they soon shot from the staff, converging and consuming the beast now and forever known as Metallia, before it faded from existence.

Sighing, she straightened herself up, just beginning to feel the drain from the spell, to notice the one thing the guards and scouts had missed: under where the creature had lain, was the battered and bloody body of a male.

Running to him; her earlier exhaustion forgotten, she examined him as best as the remaining magic she had could.

His body was beyond the hope her magic or any technology of the Moon Kingdom could offer. His body was covered with burns, some to the third degree. Blood soaked the ground that he was laying on. Clothing was all but burnt off, and what hadn't been was still smoldering. Several limbs were contorted at angles she knew meant they were broken, and even if he would survive, they didn't offer much hope for ever working again. His eyes were swollen, not even hinting at their states below the eyelids. His hair was mostly gone, only a few wisps of grey and black remaining among the singed and bleeding flesh. It appeared that whatever had brought the mutated and solid form of Metallia to them had nearly killed the human who was with it.

"I...I cannot save you, warrior. I know you must have battled Metallia, and defeated the great monster at the cost of your own life, as your body and spirit seem filled with good. We could use more people like you, even in this day of peace." She stood back up, tears trailing down her face, and no idea if he was even conscious enough to even hear her. "I can only ease your passage into the next life."

Holding the staff again, she summoned her powers, trying to do one last bit. "I shall send your soul to Earth, where I can hope you will be reborn as a hero again; perhaps even a Senshi."

As his body began to fade, his heart crystal forming in its powerful brilliance, he said one last thing, though his voice was too weak to carry it even to Queen Serenity herself.

"U...Usagi."

* * *

As the heart crystal approached the Earth, the planet's power lanced out at it, trying to understand the soul that wished to be part of it. Sensing such great power within the crystal, the Earth suspended it within its heart, studying the gem, and beginning to forge the Sailor Seed within it.

But, as the Earth prepared to send the soul into the world to be reborn, the various magics within the heart crystal caused it to split into two as it was sent off.

One heart crystal was later reborn as a Prince Endymion, slated to marry Princess Serenity.

The other was reborn as Princess Beryl, of the House of Nova.

* * *

Beryl looked out from her balcony, her mind still torn.

She knew she was meant to be with Prince Endymion. Whenever she looked upon him, her very being demanded she get closer to him, embrace him in ways that unites souls, and binds them for eternities. For her, it felt as if they were meant to be this way, and the fates had been kind enough to show her the soul mate she would marry.

But, more confusing, was that the feelings appeared as well for the blond princess of the Moon.

"These emotions make no sense!" she screamed. It just wasn't possible to have two people that were soul bonded to you. She knew the ways of the soul, of the magic of Earth. Nothing could explain why she felt the way she did for both Endymion and Serenity.

Slumping into a chair, she sighed. "It was so much simpler when I had never seen one or the other." She had always known something was different about her, but those thoughts had only been that: thoughts, until she had seen Endymion.

She felt weak just thinking of him, the way he moved, those blue eyes, the wavy black hair. He was the perfect specimen she had ever seen.

But then she had seen him courting Princess Serenity, and her feelings went across the board.

Envy...that he was with her, and that she was with him...and that she was with neither.

Anger...

Betrayal...

She felt her darker emotions surge, not understanding why she felt the desire to be with both of them.

"IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!" she screamed.

Her words fell on deaf ears, as no one was around to listen.

But one being was. It sensed her confusion, her despair, her anger... And Metallia seeped into her soul, giving her the clarity that it deemed necessary for its goals.

From that day, Beryl only cared about securing Endymion for herself.

* * *

Beryl felt Metallia fully infused in her body, the truth of things coming back to her. Her earlier confusions surged, and the sudden need to protect this reborn Serenity grew.

Then, the life passed from Endymion, her heart sank, but her soul felt...complete? Examining herself, she noticed that her soul was larger; memories of the life of Mamoru Chiba flooded her being. _Is this why I felt for Endymion? Is this why I felt for two people: because one was...me?_

Soon, memories that belonged to neither her nor Mamoru began to trickle in, scenes of the reborn princess and a pigtailed male sitting on a rock, looking at a sunset. Soon the image was replaced with Serenity in bed with a redhead with blue eyes.

_What do they mean? What is going on?_

And then her heart fell through, as she saw her own body used to attack the Princess. _USAGI!_

As Serenity fully emerged, she summoned the Ginzuishou and dumped her life force into it.

_NO! Not like this! I can't lose her again!_ Beryl had no idea where the voice had come from, but she knew it was male, and familiar. It wasn't her or Endymion, but it felt one thing she could identify with: it wanted to save Usagi/Serenity.

So, as Metallia used its own energy to beat back the power of the Ginzuishou, Beryl threw her own in to defeat the monster once and for all.

As the light passed through her, she felt the pain as the beast was lanced from existence. _I wish...I wish I could be with her the way she needs me to be. That is all I want now._

And thus, when the world was reset, Beryl of the House of Nova no longer existed. Only the now completed soul of Endymion: known now as Mamoru Chiba existed.

* * *

Mamoru sat in his room, confused.

He knew he loved Usagi, part of him would never deny the feelings he had for her.

But he felt...weak...undeserving of her. In all their battles, he was almost useless baggage. During the fights, he felt helpless, as if he was the one needing saving.

But his mental picture of Usagi never matched with reality, as though he was seeing two different versions of the same woman.

The only other woman he had felt like that with was Rei. Somehow, when they had dated, he could always get glimpses of an image that seemed to fade between sight and memory. He could see Rei, but also saw a girl with short blue hair.

Such things tore into him, like his mind and soul couldn't agree on what it was that he was seeking.

As a horn honked, he stood up, looking out his window to a cab waiting to take him to the airport. _Usagi, when I get back from Harvard for vacation, I will tell you...everything._

He had no idea that Galaxia wouldn't give him the chance.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thus ends the tale of Ranma Saotome. In the end, he has always been with, and will always be with Usagi Tsukino. In the end, the truest loves will always survive. If you didn't get it, when Ranma's soul was sent to Earth in the hopes of sparking a new Senshi, the power of Earth itself split his soul between yin and yang, which grew into Beryl: a possibility for Sailor Earth, and Endymion: a possibility for Earth's Kamen. In effect, Beryl never wanted Endymion as a partner in love; she wanted to be united with the other part of her soul.

And thus ends the saga of When Angels Fall. In the end, Ranma has always been with Usagi, just that she doesn't know it...yet.


End file.
